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Arrangement of microtubules during spore formation in Equisetum arvense (Equisetaceae)
Author(s) -
Uehara Koichi,
Murakami Satoru
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1995.tb15651.x
Subject(s) - biology , spore , tapetum , botany , microtubule , biophysics , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , pollen , microspore , stamen
The arrangement of cortical microtubules (MTs) during spore formation in Equisetum arvense was examined by immunofluorescence microscopy. The arrangement of MTs was observed to change during sporoderm formation. During exospore formation, the cortical MTs of the tapetum appeared along the tapetal plasma membrane that enclosed each developing spore cell. After exospore formation, the arrangement of the cortical MTs changed into one of separate bands of MTs arranged spirally (spiral bands of MTs). The spiral bands of MTs were superimposed on the developing elaters. This new pattern corresponded to the pattern of cellulose microfibrils deposited in the inner layer of the elater, suggesting that these spiral bands are involved in the deposition of the cellulose microfibrils in the elater. We conclude that the spiral bands of MTs are functionally equivalent to cortical MTs in secondary wall formation.